Hi to everyone,
I'm a newbie to model railroading and living in the UK and as you probably knew we lack the space that you guys have in the States. But since I always like the looks of the American locomotives so last year i started buying modern HO diesels like Gevos and SD70s and i use Kato Unitrack to run them on the floor.
Now i wanted them to have a permanent home but i only have 2x8 as a space. I've bought numerous layout plan but couldn't find an modern Engine Facility or Engine Terminal layout without the turntable or traverser. I'm wondering if you guys can help or show me a trackplan for Engine Facility or alternative layout that will show my engines with the following conditions:
1. 2x8 HO layout (Engine Facility OR any layout that i can use to display my engines)
2. No turntable/traverser
3. Using Peco Code 100 track (i already have some medium turnouts)
4. I'm planning to buy the Peco or the Walthers modern engine shed, fuel and sanding tower kits
5. I have 7 diesel locomotives at the moment probably may rise as i love the looks of the SD70 heritage untits:)
Any help provided will be much appreciated.
Thanks
Rodel
If your passion are engines, you may consider a modern diesel servicing layout with the mainline running upfront or at the bacground. You may switch the engines from the shops to the fueling racks or from the sanding towersto the mainline to a small staging, etc. Diesel engine service facilities have some very interesting structures and they can get quite busy. Besides, you may display all of your engines. I would recomend to built it as a modular layout, so that in case you find a larger place you may incorporate it to a future larger layout.
Here are some examples of what I'm talking about:
http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/data/Mark%20R/2009680320_Facilities.JPG
http://www.skiptonrailsoc.org.uk/LaRochelle_04.JPG
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/500/012.jpg
Welcome to the forums and model railroading.
Sounds like you are a bit pinched for space, but hopefully you can come up with something that you will enjoy building, operating a little and that it will display your locos to your satisfaction.
Don't have a catalog in front of me at the moment. Is that a 2 stall engine shed? I am not sure where there is a plan for an engine terminal, but maybe a google search or just "Search Our Community" to the right on these pages will offer you some suggestions. Someone else may have a source.
With two tracks going into the shed, and an engine storage track or two to the side of it would give you a place for your locos. Fuel and sand facilities could be between one storage track and the shed access track next to it, making one shed track and one storage track your servicing area.
If you have room and the desire to do a little operating, you could have a "yard track" or two with switcher to move a tank car to refil the fuel tanks and a hopper to refil the sand tower. A track on the other side of the shed (or the closer storage track) could also be used as an unloading spot for cars bringing in supplies and parts for the servicing shed.
Doesn't give you a lot of operation, but it sounds like you are mostly interested in displaying.
Have fun,
I designed a modern engine facility in just under 2'X8' in HO for a client using Linn Westcott's famous "Switchman's Nightmare" as a starting point.
You can modify the plan to match the track spacing of the enginehouse, service racks, etc., that you would like to use. For his layout, we focused on shop facilities on one side, fueling and sanding on the other -- it turned out well.
Read more about it here. Good luck with your layout.
Byron
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group